massicve retaliation, limited nuclear war, & surprise attacks

massive retaliation

single integrated operational plan (SIOP)

• targets: nuclear forces, military, government, industry

soviet nuclear forces

soviet nuclear arsenal remains small, relaxed posture in 1950s

as us and soviet arsenals improved

both mastered h-bombs, soviets made icbms, debate over strategic bombardment ended

birth of nuclear stalemate

can’t nuke enemy cities, so how do you deter soviet aggression (neither dead nor red)

2 solutions to nuclear stalemate

• fight a “limited” war

• surprise attack

fight a “limited” war explained

limited nuclear war with strategic strikes (tactical nukes)

salami tactics

by taking down states one by one, you can eliminate all the opposition

on keeping it limited

• losing side must accept defeat

• winning side must give up on total victory

• side that uses nukes first but distinguish them from strategic nuclear use

making tactical nukes different

• not great substitute for conventional forces

• can turn battlefield nasty

surprise attack explained

• take out other side’s nukes first

• works best if it’s a real surprise

balance of terror

MAD deters nations from launching a first strike, as they know they’d be retaliated against

sputnik

USSR sends first satellite into space; implications: space missile ICBM?